Aeroplane



Feb. 24, 1931.

H. H. FlcK V1,793,788

AEROPLANE Filed Nov. 21'. A1927 2 Sheets-sheer. 2

\e *MH f/ /ff ,ZM/ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HANNIBAL H. FIOK, OF MCCAUSLAND, IOWA AEROPLAN E Application. led November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,884.

My invention has reference to aeroplanes, the chief purpose ofthe same being to pro vide a safety apparatus, forming a separate section of the machine, which can be instantly disconnected from the rest of the air-ship, in case of trouble, said detached section and its occupant floating to the earth by means of a parachute support. i v e Another purpose of the invention is to form the releasable section, or cage, of resilient frames, and of a spherical shape, so that upon coming in contact with the ground with any amount of force it Will bound and roll along -th'e ground Without any great amount of r shock to the occupant.

Another purpose of the invention is to have thereleasable section entirely fire-proof, so that no flames or excessive heat can reach the interior thereof from other parts of the machine. This is accomplished by having all of the parts of the safety device formed of metal, and encasing the same in aluminum or other material of light Weight, Which will act as a heat insulation.

.Another object thereof is to support the seat of the occupant of the release section by a spring suspension, so that the seat will yield readily to shocks coming from any direction.

The device is shown herein in use with a frame of relatively light build, but changes and adaptations thereof can' be made to enable it to be used with various forms and sizes of air-ships. For instance, several of the releasable sections could be built in to a'large machine of the passenger type, so as to be independently releasable, in case of danger. In this type especially the section Would be provided With a form of armor plate, and sufficiently Water-tight to enable the same to float on Water, in case of falling into the same.

While designed specially as a means of escape from the ship in case of engine trouble or similar exigency, it is also useful as a means of escape in case the air ship encounters a severe storm.

The above-named, and other features and advantages of the invention Will more fully appear from the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention, with parts of the air-ship frame broken away at the ends, and the near side of the cock-pit removed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. l, A indicates a fragmentary part of the forward or motor frame of an aeroplane, B the rear or tail frame, and C the central, or cage section, which is capable of being instantly detached from the foregoing frame parts. It is formed of hoops or bands of spring steel, two of said hoops 5 being disposed in parallel vertical planes, tWo hoops 6 in horizontal spaced planes, and connected with the first-named hoops at the points of intersection, and a vertical hoop 7, passing at a right angle With the planes of the hoops G, and also connected therewith at the points of intersection. In the center of the frame formed by said hoops is a seat 9 for the occupant, supported from above by a pair of tension springs 10, connected at their upper ends to the frames 6, and by similar springs l1 extending to the frame intersections at the sides. Additional pairs of coiled springs 12 and 13 connect the upper part of the seat With the front and back of the frame, respectively.

The lower part of said seat is connected by springs 1l with the lower part of the hoop frame orcage and b lateral sirino's 15 with f the sides thereof. Additional springs 1G extend forwardly to the frame in front, while other springs 17 connect the lower part of the seat with the frame in the rear. This provides a spring suspension for the seat, holding it yieldingly in the center of the cage section, and protecting the occupant thereof from shocks of considerable severity.

Projected from the front of the section C are extensions 18, overlapping end pieces 1) on the frame A, and pivoted to the pieces 19 are trips 20, as at a. At their rear ends said trips are provided with Wedge-shaped catches 21 for engagement with openings of similar shape in the extensions 18. The

26, interposed between said arm and a part of the frame A.

The trip devices are duplicated at the lower part of the frame, and the arm 24 has a pivotal connection at @with a similar arm 27,

pivoted at its lower end on the frame A. The lower end of the arm 27 is provided with a lug 23 and other partsl for engagement with the end of the trip 2O,y the same as those shown above, and for a similar purpose. Said arm is also held normally in rearward Vposition by a coiled spring 26. he pivotcis formed of a rod, connecting similar arms 24 and 27 at opposite sides of the machine, and connected with said rod at a central point is a push-rod 30, held slidably in a cross-piece 31 connecting the hoop frames 6, and provided with a pedal convenient to the foot of the operator of the airship. The forward end ofthe rod 310 is held loosely in a socket 31ZL on the pivot c, so that said parts will readily disconnect on occasion. In case of trouble in the air the for ward movement of the push-rod actuates the arms 24 and 27, releasing the trips 20, and disconnecting the part A from the part C of the machine. f

Similar trip mechanisms are shown at 32 between the sections B and C, under the control of arms 33 and 34, having a pivot rod d, from which a push-rod 36 extends forwardly V'through a support in the frame of the part C.

A cable 37 is attached to the end of the rod 36 and carried round pulleys 38 and 39 to a connection with the forward end of the pushrod 30. Upon the latter rod being actuated, the movement thereof is communicated to the rod 36 to move the same rearwardly, and operate the arms 33 and 34. ris a result the tail section B is disconnected from the section C siniultaneously with tie separation ol' the part A therefrom, le ving the cage section free to descend by itself.

In front of the seat 9 is the usual operators lever or stick 40, from which control rods 41 are carried rearwardly to connections with extensions 41, which latter rods are connected with the steering devices. Said rods and extensions are united by slipjoints, permitting a quick release of such parts. A foot lever 42 is also fulcrumed in front of the seat, from the ends of which control rods 43 extend rearsections, so that there will be no parts which will tend to hold the sections from separation. This is shown in Fig. 1, wherein the rods 41 are connected with the rods 41EL by means of sockets 41b on the ends of the iastnamed rods, and also united by a rock-arm 41, pivoted at e on a support B1, mounted on the floor of the section B. j

In the Lipper part of the section C is a rack 44, containing a parachute 45, the cords of lwhich are connected with the section C, so'as of the cage and eXit therefrom. By employing an armor plate enclosure the cage can be elnbodied in the heavier types of machines which are used as battle planes, said armor plate forming a protection for the occupant of the machine.

In Fig. 1 is shown one side 46 of a cock-pit enclosure of the seat, which would be used only with the lighter types of air-ships, and would be omit-ted when the cage is provided with the sheet metal enclosure.

ldhile the invention is designed chiefly as a safety device for use when the air-ship is at a-considerable height above the earth, the cage'can also be cut loose when the machine is at a relatively short ldistance up, and the life of the occupant preserved by the shock absorbing features connected Awith such cage.

In Fig. 1 a battery boX 50 is shown attached to the arm 27, the weight of such boxand its contents being s uiiicient to automatically operate the arms 26 and 27, and release the cage C, in case the airship should run into an obstruction, such as the side of a hill or a structure of some kind, with sui'licient force to severely jar and stun the ocnupant of the l machine. After being freed the cage section would take its own course to the ground, with some chance of escape of the operator.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1 An aeroplane formed ofa central spherical section and end sections detachably connected therewith, said central section being formed of a plurality of resilient hoops, enabling said section to roll and bound along the ground when separated from the' other sections and Asaid central section being reieasable from the end sections while in iiight.

2. An aeroplane formed of a central section and end sections detachably connected therewith, said central section being formedV of a plurality of resilient circular frame members, and shock absorbing devices Within said central section, said central section being re- 

